Helmet shell fabric layer and method of making the same

Abstract

A ballistic helmet shell layer in which a plurality of identical fabric segments, each formed with a pointed end and an arcuate end on the locus of a circle having its center at the pointed end, first are laid flat with portions of the edges extending from the pointed ends of adjacent segments butting. After the segments are secured to each other adjacent to the pointed ends, the assembly is formed to a generally hemispherical shape with the remaining side edge portions of adjacent segments coming into butting relationship with only the arcuate edges free.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 
     
       1. A protective helmet layer including in combination a plurality of elongated protective fabric segments, each of said segments having a point at one end, a remote edge at the other end, and side edges extending between said point and said remote edge, said segments being arranged with their points together in a pinwheel configuration, the outline of said segments being such that when arranged flat in said configuration the side edges of adjacent segments abut over a first portion of their length adjacent to said points and diverge from each other over a second portion of their length remote from said points; and means for securing said abutting portions of said segments to each other. 
     
     
       2. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which said securing means comprises stitching extending along said abutting side edges for a portion of the length thereof from said points. 
     
     
       3. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which said securing means comprises an auxiliary piece of material covering said points and means for stitching said piece to each of said segments. 
     
     
       4. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which said securing means comprises a circular piece of material covering said points and stitching extending around the edge of said piece for securing said piece to said segments. 
     
     
       5. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which said securing means comprises a polygonal piece of material covering said points, said piece having as many sides as there are segments covering said points and stitching around the edge of said piece for securing the piece to said segments. 
     
     
       6. An assembly as in claim 1 in which said layer is a first layer, said assembly including a second layer formed in the same manner as said first layer, said second layer being disposed within said first layer with the side edges of the segments of said first layer out of alignment with the side edges of the segments of said second layer. 
     
     
       7. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which the side edges of each of said segments extend generally parallel to each other over said second portion of their length. 
     
     
       8. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which the remote edge of each of said segments is an arcuate edge. 
     
     
       9. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which said segments are identical segments. 
     
     
       10. A protective helmet layer as in claim 1 in which said fabric segments are impregnated with resin. 
     
     
       11. A method of making a protective helmet layer including the steps of providing a plurality of elongated segments of protective fabric with each segment having a point at one end, a remote edge at the other end, and side edges extending between said points and said remote edge; arranging said segments with their points together in a pinwheel configuration, the outline of said segments being such that when arranged flat in said configuration the side edges of adjacent segments abut over a first portion of their length adjacent to said points and diverge from each other over a second portion of their length remote from said points; and securing said abutting portions of said segments to each other. 
     
     
       12. A method as in claim 11 in which said providing step comprises cutting said segments from fabric. 
     
     
       13. A method as in claim 11 including the step of impregnating said fabric segments with resin. 
     
     
       14. A method as in claim 11 including the step of conforming said layer to a generally hemispherical shape with the side edges of adjacent segments in abutting relationship over substantially their entire length. 
     
     
       15. A method as in claim 11 including the steps of conforming said layer to a generally hemispherical shape with the side edges of adjacent segments in abutting relationship over substantially their entire length and compression molding said conformed layer. 
     
     
       16. A method as in claim 11 in which said layer is a first layer, said method including the steps of forming a second layer in the same manner as said first layer and inserting said second layer within said first layer with the side edges of the segments of said first layer out of alignment with the side edges of the segments of said second layer.